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Viewfinder: Valerie Phillips

Viewfinder: Valerie Phillips

CreditValerie Phillips

Arvida Byström, the latest subject of the London-based fashion photographer Valerie Phillips, is an online celebrity, known for the colorful pics, including countless selfies, she posts on her Tumblr. But that was news to Phillips when she was introduced to the Swedish bombshell by a mutual friend. Phillips was mostly a stranger to social media, preferring to meet her subjects in person and build portraits of them through personal interaction. “When I take pictures,” she explains, “I don’t like having much of a plan. It’s great when I can just hang out with someone and let their life unfold and entwine with mine.” Byström, by contrast, grew up online, making friends and fans across oceans through the power of the Internet.

But these cultural opposites came together to create “hi you are beautiful how are you?” a series and book in which Phillips documents the elements of Byström’s lifestyle, including monthly hair-color changes, ’90s cartoon clothing, glittery tiaras and candy necklaces. Their connection resulted not only in a multifaceted portrait of Byström, but also in each coming around a little bit to the other’s way of thinking. According to Phillips, “Since I met her, I’ve got more involved in social media. I’m now on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram. Meanwhile, Arvida tells me she’s a bit sick of the Internet and has less and less time to spend online. So maybe we’ve rubbed off on each other.”